


to cast a shadow

by Ono (DistantShenanigans)



Series: Into the Shadows [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Angst, Fluff and Angst, Gen, M/M, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Shikaku, Shikamaru is a good brother, Trans Character, Trans Girl Ino, Trans Ino, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-09-15 06:27:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16928178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DistantShenanigans/pseuds/Ono
Summary: Nara Shikara was happy to be Shikamaru's little sister - or, really, maybe his brother? - and they were excited to start the academy a year early and go with their brother. The night before their first day, he gets memories of a life that wasn't meant to be possible.And awakens the near forgotten kekkai genkai of their clan.How troublesome.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I own Shikara and a few other ocs, and FUCK IT, I like the idea of a kekkai genkai in the Nara clan because _why the fuck not_.
> 
> *Aniki is basically formal older brother or something similar.
> 
> fair warning: the boys discuss gender talks, sex talks, and where babies come from at the end of the chapter lmao

Shikara was seven years old, and following Mom around the kitchen as she cooked, when it happened. He was smaller than most, even for their clan, but he was determined. He didn't know he was a boy yet, of course, but he didn't really care, since he liked following Mom around and learning how to cook and clean and take care of himself once he was a big strong shinobi on his own.

He was told to chop the mushrooms, because they're going into his and his brother's lunches tomorrow, when they go to the academy tomorrow for the first time, when it happens.

_“Connor! Connor, look out!” Someone shrieks, and then there's a loud bang, but there's nothing but darkness, all over._

He froze, fear in his heart, and his head suddenly aching, and there's nothing but _darkness_ around him, and he could hear his mother dropping something, and feeling her kneel next to him. On top of that, more memories – _memories_ , of another life – were cramming into his head and he wanted to cry and be sick, but he was a Nara, and Naras didn't do that unless they couldn't help it, or were little infants.

“ _SHIKAKU!_ ” She screamed, “Get in here!” His father was there, using the flicker technique to get there, even as his brother is suddenly thundering down the steps with his friend behind him.

“Mom? Dad? Is Shikara okay?” He heard Shikamaru asked, confused.

“Shhhh... It's okay, Fawn.” Dad said, “Go upstairs with Chouji.” He heard movement, and a moment later, his head hurts less, and he can see his parents' worried faces.

“Dad...? Mom...? What happened...?” He asked, afraid.

“Something that hasn't happened in over four generations.” Dad sighed, “Come on, Fawn, let's go. We have to talk.” Dad looked at Mom. “Yoshino, tell Aunt Shikaki we need to have a clan meeting tonight.” She nodded, concern on her face, and Shikara reached up to his father.

A kekkai genkai, his father tells him. It's a strange one – takes away sight in the sun, but lets them see everything in the dark. He'll be able to make barriers, too, with the shadows, once he mastered the kekkai genkai. It will make his clan jutsus stronger than what their average is now.

But it comes with a cost.

He stares at his reflection in the bathroom, that night, when he's supposed to be getting ready for bed. Little branches are creeping out from his eyes, black in colour. Shikamaru said they looked like antlers, but only after he called Shikara so troublesome for doing the impossible for activating a kekkai genkai that their clan wasn't supposed to have anymore from the desire of not inbreeding their clan.

Shikara was grounded, for kicking his brother in the knee cap, for that comment.

But his brother was right, though, about the markings. They _did_ look like antlers, but now he was vulnerable.

If anyone found out, he'd be in trouble, from bloodline thieves, Dad had said.

And on top of that, he now had memories of a past life.

A past life where _this_ world was a manga and anime.

“How troublesome.” He muttered, before turning the sink off, and hopping down from the stool he had to use to reach it. He left the bathroom, and Shikamaru was leaning against the wall, waiting.

His brother was a year older than him – and Shikara had always looked up to him, and wanted to be _just like him_ , to their parents' amusement – and Shikara wasn't supposed to start at the academy yet, not until next year, but Shikamaru had been teaching him what Dad had been teaching _him_ , and when Dad found out, he just sighed, but enrolled Shikara too, because Shikamaru said he'd watch over Shikara at school.

“It's not that bad.” Shikamaru said, and Shikara blinked. “Your antlers.” Shikara sighed, at that.

“They ain't _antlers_.” He said.

“Aren't.” Shikamaru said, snorting. “You know Mom hates when you use that word.” Shikara scrunched his nose.

“You gonna snitch?”

“No.” His eight year old brother shrugged. “Just sayin'.” His brother entered the bathroom, and shut the door.

Ugh, how troublesome.

' _Too bad I didn't get these memories before the Uchiha Massacre._ ' Shikara thought, as he entered his room, and climbed into bed.

His parents came in, and said goodnight, before they went to tuck Shikamaru into bed too. He waited until about an hour later, after tossing and turning, before he went to Shikamaru's room.

“Aniki?” He whispered. Shikamaru groaned.

“ _Troublesome_...” His brother complained, “C'mon...” Shikamaru lifted the blanket, and Shikara ran to the bed, climbing in. He curled up against his brother, and Shikamaru stifled a giggle when Shikara let out a small squeak, at his cold feet.

They stayed up giggling until midnight, before they fell asleep, arms around each other and snuggling.

' _'m gonna fix shit..._ ' was his last thought, before he let sleep take over.

 

=0=0=0=

 

Shikara walked to school with Shikamaru, skipping ahead of him and Mom. Dad had left for work before they had to leave, but he told them good luck, and behave, at which he and Shikamaru shared a look, before grinning.

“Hey Shikamaru!” Chouji called, running over when they reached the front of the academy. “Hi Shikara!” Keiko, Chouij's mom, smiled at them, when they approached.

“Shikara! My, how lucky Shikamaru is, to have his little sister see him off!” She said, before Shikamaru frowned.

“Shikara's coming with me. She's in our class.” Shikamaru said, and Keiko looked surprised at that, but Mom just laughed.

“Shikamaru's been jump starting her training, so Shikaku merely enrolled her, when they both said they wanted her to come.” Keiko laughed, at that, and soon, Shikara was running after his brother and Chouji, laughing and playing, even as the parents gathered to wait to meet the teacher.

“Whoa, wicked markings!” Shikara paused, and turned, finding a grinning boy with a nin-dog standing there. He had red triangles on his cheeks. “I'm Inuzuka Kiba, and this is Akamaru! What family are you from? Are those clan markings?”

“She's a Nara.” Chouji said, walking over with Shikamaru. “And... uh, huh. What _are_ those markings, Shikamaru?”

“Clan markings.” Shikamaru said, “It's an old thing, but Shikara inherited them from great-grandpa.”

“Cool.” Kiba grinned, “The Nara clan must be more exciting than Mom said!”

“With Shikamaru and Shikara in the same room? Definitely.” Chouji grinned. Shikara stepped closer to Shikamaru.

“Aniki...” He murmured, and Shikamaru sighed that annoyed, yet fond, sigh.

“ _Troublesome_.” The older brother said, “Come on, there are some swings.” Shikara brightened at that, and followed Shikamaru to the swings. Chouji kept Kiba from following them.

They were called into the classroom another twenty minutes later, after the parents met their teachers, and Yoshino leveled Shikamaru with a hard look.

“You _keep an eye out_ for your sister, you hear me, Shikamaru?” Shikamaru sighed in annoyance.

“Yes, Mom... I _know_...! It's the only thing Dad's been telling me to do since he agreed to enroll her...!”

For the first time, Shikara frowned at the pronouns used, before he plastered on a fake smile for their mom, said goodbye, and followed his brother into the academy.

He learned what having a different gender was, when Yamanaka Ino stood up, only to have girls and boys say she couldn't be a girl, because she was a boy.

Iruka-sensei corrected them all, and said gender wasn't binary, and shinobi come in all kinds of genders, or have no gender at all.

It was like a little light bulb went off in Shikara's head. Shikamaru elbowed him.

“You okay?” He whispered.

“... Is it okay if I'm a boy?” He whispered back, and Shikamaru snorted.

“I'd like you a lot better if you were. Girls are troublesome.” His brother said, and Shikara giggled.

“Nara, Shikamaru.” Shikamaru raised his hand lazily, before being forced to stand up and actually properly introduce himself, including that he was a boy, just to piss of the jerks in class, and Shikara giggled, as Chouji snickered from across the room.

“Nara, Shikara.” Shikara stood up, and some stared at him. He blinked, suddenly feeling terrified, as people whispered about his markings.

“Um...”

“Shikara's my baby sibling.” Shikamaru said, “A year younger. They get stage fright easily, but they're really good at the stuff Dad was teaching me at home, so Dad enrolled them early. The markings are clan markings – mostly out of date, but some people still get them in the clan.” Iruka-sensei looked at Shikara with sympathy, and nodded for him to sit down. He dropped into his seat immediately.

“Uchiha, Sasuke.”

He didn't budge, and Shikara frowned.

“Uzumaki Naruto.” Some students whispered, as he loudly proclaimed he'd be the best ninja and become the next Hokage.

“Yeah, right!” Someone scoffed, and Shikara frowned.

“I think he could do it.” He said, and Shikamaru blinked, at that, as the class looked at him. “I mean, why not? His dad was the fourth hokage, so it's not like it's impossible.” The class went silent, as Naruto looked shocked.

Then the classroom exploded with loud shrieking and talking, and Naruto just looked _confused_.

' _Oops._ ' Shikara thought, when, half way through the day, he found himself sitting in the Hokage's office, with his father standing behind him.

“So, how does your child know of Naruto being Minato's son?” The Third asked, and Shikaku raised an eyebrow.

“Good question – back up question, when did you become my child and not my daughter?” He asked Shikara.

“This morning, after Iruka-sensei said Ino could be a girl and not a boy. Shikamaru introduced me as his sibling, when I got scared of talkin' in front of people.” Shikaku nodded.

“Alright, how'd you know about Naruto?”

“... The Fourth Hokage was literally married to the only Uzumaki still in the village before we were born.” Shikara said, a bit baffled. “How does nobody else know this? It's common sense, even if Naruto's an Uzumaki because of clan.”

“Well, they've got a point.” Shikaku said, looking at the third hokage. “Can't really blame them for that, especially since they didn't know it was meant to be a secret, rather than an unspoken thing.”

He was let off with a warning to not discuss the Kyuubi, and Shikara merely smiled, and nodded, all the while crossing his fingers behind his back.

As his father walked him back to the Academy, Shikara looked up at him.

“Are you mad at me?” He asked, and Shikaku snorted.

“No – in fact, I'm rather proud of you. I always thought that rule was stupid. Boy needs to know the truth to keep from being a danger to the village. If he _knows_ , then he can learn to control everything better.” Shikaku replied.

“Like a kekkai genkai?” Shikara asked, and Shikaku nodded.

“Like that. How long have you been feeling like you aren't a girl?”

“A couple days, and yesterday it was worse than ever.” Shikara admitted, “But I didn't _know_ it was a thing until this morning, when Ino said she was a girl, even though she was dressed like a boy and everyone else was calling her a boy. Iruka-sensei said gender wasn't binary and shinobi could be any gender, or no gender.”

“That's right. Did you know I'm non-binary?” Dad asked, and Shikara looked up at him, eyes wide. Shikaku chuckled, and nodded. “That's right. I have no gender, really, but I lean towards male. It happens; it isn't a choice, no matter what most civilians think. So you if you ever feel one way or another, you can tell your mother and I, alright?” Shikara nodded, and when they reached the classroom, he hugged his father, before he went back in and ran to his seat next to Shikamaru.

“I'm gonna fuck shit up.” Shikara announced, that afternoon, as he and Shikamaru walked home from the academy. Shikamaru laughed.

“How'd you know Naruto was the Fourth's son? _I_ didn't even know that!”

“Minato-sama was married to _Uzumaki Kushina_! How does nobody make that connection!” The younger cried, even as Chouji ran to catch up, Kiba on his heels with Naruto.

“Wait up!” Chouji said, and the two paused. “Shikara, _what happened_ when you were taken to the Hokage's office!?”

“Dad was called.” Shikara groaned, and Shikamaru snorted.

“And?”

“And the Hokage told him I was his _child_.” Shikara pouted, “I don't even know what I am yet, I didn't wanna tell Mom and Dad yet!”

“You told me.”

“You're my _brother_ , you're different.” Shikara stuck his tongue out. Shikamaru snorted again.

“Troublesome.” He said, “What'd Dad do?”

“Said he didn't know how I knew, then asked me when I became not his daughter.” Shikara giggled, and Kiba and Chouji snickered.

“You can _do_ that? Just like that?” Naruto asked.

“Apparently!” Shikara complained, “How come Mom and Dad didn't teach us this!?”

“Because most kids _talk to their parents_ about this stuff.” Kiba said, “I asked Mom about gender like, three years ago, when Hana started dating someone who said they had no gender. She went on for _hours_ about gender and sexual orientation and then she gave me the _sex talk_.”

“Ugh, gross!” The other four cried.

“Yeah! I was _five_! It was horrifying! I didn't even get Akamaru yet, so I had to sit there in suffering by myself!”

“Poor, poor Kiba.” Chouji laughed.

“At least you didn't get the talk because you walked into the yard and saw two deer mating each other.” Shikara said, and Shikamaru groaned.

“It was _awful_!” He said, “I just wanted to take Shikara to a good spot to watch the clouds and then they asked _what are they doing_ and I didn't _know_ , so I called for _Mom_ , like an _idiot_! At least Dad woulda been more painless!”

“Yeah – Mom went from the sex talk to the period talk and then to how babies come out of people.” Shikara said, scrunching his nose. “That was when I started thinking I _really_ didn't wanna be a girl.”

“... I am an uneducated orphan, _what_?” Naruto asked.

“It's horrifying.” Shikara said, “And bloody, and they come outta _vaginas_.”

“Va- _what_!?” Naruto said, even as Shikamaru shrieked, “ _Don't say vaginas, Shikara!_ ”

“Uh, _why_ are you guys talking about _vaginas_? Aren't we too young for that?” They turned, and Shikara saw a confused looking Ino standing there, as her horrified father stood with her.

“We were talking about how scarred we are by our parents giving us sex talks. Mom told us what periods were and where babies came from and she said they come outta-”

“Stop talking!” Shikamaru tackled him to the ground, shoving his hand over Shikara's mouth.

“... You are never being unchaperoned again.” Ino's father said, “Come on, I'll walk you lot home.” Shikara, Shikamaru, and Naruto were among the last ones to be dropped off at home, and Shikara grabbed Naruto's hand and dragged him inside, as Shikamaru sheepishly thanked Ino's father for walking them home.

“MOMMY!” Shikara called, “Can Naruto spend the night!?”

“Ugh, _troublesome_...!”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shikara goes through the academy, and decides to start training for his upcoming plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shorter than the last chapter, but I'm also bad at writing long chapters of kids in the academy long term, so, oh well. I'll try to make chapter 3 longer, since Shikara really begins training.
> 
> Enjoy 8)

True to his words, they _weren't_ unchaperoned again, as Inoichi had apparently told Shikaku what had happened, and Shikara was given a day's grounding for talking about vaginas in front of random boys. Shikara had whined, complained that wasn't fair, because the other boys brought it up first.

He went from _child_ to _son_ within one uttered phrase (and Shikamaru was also grounded, since he spoke about the horrid Topic with their friends), and the next morning, Shikara was put into some of Shikamaru's old clothes from the day before, instead of the dress he'd been put in the day before by Yoshino. Naruto had, in fact, spent the night, and from what Shikara heard last night from eavesdropping, he'd probably be staying over for a lot of nights, in the future.

“Hey guys!” Kiba grinned, waving as the three approached the school yard. Yoshino had walked them, and after saying goodbye, she headed home.

“Oh man – Ino's dad told _my_ dad!” Chouji complained.

“He told _Mom_.” Shikamaru complained, “We got grounded. Shikara got off _easy_ with only a day. I'm grounded for a week!”

“You're the one who was talking about it in front of me first.” Shikara replied, sticking his tongue out. Shikamaru frowned, as Naruto snickered.

When they entered the classroom, Shikamaru told Iruka-sensei that Shikara was a boy now, and went to join his brother in sitting down. Shikara saw Ino walk in, now in a dress and grinning with pride about it.

The day passed while discussing the forming of Konoha.

And it was _fun_.

=0=0=0=

The gendered classes started the next year, and Shikara watched as the other kids broke up easily, except for three of them. Ino was confused, and upset, because what happened to _gender doesn't matter?_ , Shino Aburame, who was silent and maybe probably pouting, and Shikara himself, who didn't like what was going on.

“What's wrong you three?” Their new sensei asked, kneeling down.

“Where are we supposed to go?” Shikara asked, confused. “Is it our bodies or our gender?” The sensei understood, that.

“Gender, sweetie. Not your bodies.”

“... I have none.” Shino stated, and Shikara giggled.

“Dad said he just defaulted to the next best pronoun for him, when Mom asked.” Shikara said.

“... I will do the boys' class, then.” Shino said, and their sensei nodded, and the three branched off – Ino to the girls, and Shikara and Shino to the boys. When most of the boys made faces at Shino, it made Shikara mad, especially when Shikamaru even seemed put off by the Aburame.

So, when they had to do a paired exercise, Shikara grabbed Shino's hand, and smiled.

“Let's work together!” He said, and Shino stared, even as Shikara knew his brother had been approaching him, and was probably not _thrilled_ at the development of him befriending Shino.

Their parents still expected him to watch after Shikara, after all.

“... Okay.” Shino nodded, and Shikara grinned.

When their special class ended, and they returned to the classroom for lunch (and later their class), Shikara pulled Shino by the hand to their group.

“Shino's gonna eat with us.” He said, and Shikamaru let out _that_ sigh.

“How troublesome.”

=0=0=0=

Their third year, Shikara had pretty much mastered weapons, and this year was going over poisons and barriers and seals and other traps. He _loved it_ , and Shino had called him weird.

“Funny, coming from the weird Aburame.” A girl who had shuffled into their class this year scoffed.

“I like weird.” Shikara said, looking up at them, smiling. “Shino's fun!”

“Yeah!” Naruto agreed, grinning. Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kiba and Akamaru aren't in their class this year, and it took every bit of Shikara whining that he didn't need his big brother watching over him all the time for his parents to not make a fuss over it and force them into the same class. He loved his brother, but being a shinobi meant that Shikamaru wouldn't always be there for him, and he wouldn't always be there for Shikamaru.

He was surprised, when he was requested by the Hokage, halfway through the school year.

“Yes, sir?” He asked, blinking as he saw a man standing there, reading a book. He was nine now, and this was the second time in three years that he'd been sent to the Hokage's office. Sure, it wasn't nearly as much trouble as his brother and friends got into – skipping class and playing pranks did that, generally – but once had been _enough_.

“One moment, Shikara. We're waiting on your father.” Hiruzen said, and Shikara hesitated.

“I ain't in trouble again, am I?” He asked, and Hiruzen chuckled, as the man looked up.

“Again?” The man asked.

“Yes, this is the boy that outed Naruto as Minato's son about two years ago, now.” The old Hokage said, and the man smiled.

“Nice.” He said, and Shikara blinked.

“Who are you?” He asked, even as the door opened and shut.

“I'm pretty sure I raised you with manners, Shikara.” His father said, and Shikara looked back at him.

“But you said it was okay if the other person was rude first. He didn't introduce himself or nothin'!” Shikara complained, and Shikaku sighed, as the stranger and Hokage chuckled.

“Shikara, this is Kenta.” The Hokage said, “As is the usual case, all signs of prodigies in specific areas are recorded and sent to the department.” Shikaku raised an eyebrow.

“What are you saying, Hiruzen?” Shikaku asked.

“Kenta has requested to pull Shikara from the academy, and train him as a poison expert.” The Hokage said, and Shikara's eyes widened.

“Wha- _poison_? Seriously? He's _nine_.” Shikaku said.

“He's a prodigy, Shikaku.” Kenta said, “I set a record in the academy, and I was informed that just yesterday, your youngest son broke it.” Shikaku frowned, and Shikara bit his lip, afraid of what this meant for him.

“... Am I still gonna be a ninja?” Shikara asked.

“Yes – it just means your training will no longer be based in the classroom, but under Kenta directly, one on one. In fact, by accepting this, you'll be considered a genin, _if_ your father agrees to allow it.” Hiruzen said, and Shikara turned around, looking at his father with wide eyes.

“Please, Dad? Please? I already told Shino I wanted to focus on poisons _yesterday_! Please please please?” He begged, and Shikaku groaned out the sigh Shikamaru often used when Shikara wanted something, and got his way.

“ _Fine_ , you can train as a poison expert.” Shikara cheered, and hugged his father, who sighed again.

He was given a forehead protector, and he was given instructions to go with Shikaku to work tomorrow, and Kenta would pick him up from there.

He was practically vibrating from excitement, when Shikaku took him to lunch, as the man had said he'd meet Inoichi and Chouza. The two paused, seeing Shikara, and Inoichi's eyes zeroed in on the hitae-ate around Shikara's neck.

“... Your son got promoted?”

“My son got promoted.”

“Nice! Congratulations Shikara!” Chouza said, and Shikara grinned, even as he climbed onto a seat next to him, his father on his other side.

“As a poison expert.” Shikaku said.

“And you _let that_ happen?” Inoichi asked.

“It's what he wants to do, so might as well, lest he do it behind our backs.” Shikaku sighed, “He would, too. I already caught him reading books on poison plants on his own three months ago.”

“It's so cool though!” Shikara cried, and he didn't mention that it was so he could eventually take out Zetsu, and hopefully Orochimaru.

They didn't need to know about that.

“Yes, yes, but you need to be careful, alright? If I hear about _any_ kind of close calls while you're training under Kenta, I'm yanking you and shoving you back into the academy, understood?” Shikaku said, eyes narrowing, and Shikara grinned.

“Yes'sir!” He promised, and Shikaku gave that suffering sigh that Shikamaru always did when Shikara dragged him into something.

Shikara paid no mind to it, and he grinned when his dad let him order the spicy thing he wasn't usually allowed to have (unless it was on a special occasion).

After lunch, Shikaku sent Shikara home, with a small 'you're officially a shinobi, be prepared to do things on your own, when normally we'd help you with, but don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it, got it?'.

Yoshino sighed, when she saw the headband.

“I was worried about this,” She said, “When some of the others mentioned you broke a record yesterday.” Shikara bit his lip.

“Dad said I could.” He said, and Yoshino smiled.

“I know. You be careful, though, understand? You're going to be going on missions, and sometimes a D-Rank could change quickly to an S-Rank, so you be safe and ready, understand?”

He only felt slightly guilty, for knowing he was probably going to give her and his dad heart attacks, with his plans.

“I will be!” He promised.

And he would be.

Starting tomorrow, he'd start working on the kekkai genkai he'd been too young to work with before, after he began his lessons with poisons. That was the key to his plans, really. Poisons, and the kekkai genkai that he somehow brought back to the clan.

With those tools at his disposal, he would put an end to Zetsu, even if it was the last thing he'd do on this Earth.

 


End file.
